reduce R min version to 3.6.0 and use magrittr pipe (%>%) in vignette

.github/workflows/R-CMD-check.yaml

@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ jobs:
           - {os: ubuntu-latest,   r: 'devel', http-user-agent: 'release'}
           - {os: ubuntu-latest,   r: 'release'}
           - {os: ubuntu-latest,   r: 'oldrel-1'}
+          - {os: ubuntu-latest,   r: '3.6'}
 
     env:
       GITHUB_PAT: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}

DESCRIPTION

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ URL: https://github.com/epiverse-trace/epiparameter/,
     https://epiverse-trace.github.io/epiparameter/
 BugReports: https://github.com/epiverse-trace/epiparameter/issues
 Depends: 
-    R (>= 4.1.0)
+    R (>= 3.6.0)
 Imports:
     checkmate,
     cli,
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ Suggests:
     ggplot2,
     jsonlite,
     knitr,
+    magrittr,
     RColorBrewer,
     rmarkdown,
     spelling,

NEWS.md

@@ -26,7 +26,10 @@ The are a large number of ***breaking changes*** in this release, primarily func
 * The `<vb_epidist>` class and it's methods have been removed from the package. It was not being used and was increasing the complexity and maintenance load of the package (PR #359).
 * `create_prob_dist()` has been renamed to `create_prob_distribution()` (PR #381).
 * `validate_epiparameter()` (previously `validate_epidist()`) has been renamed `assert_epiparameter()`, and `test_epiparameter()` has been added, with the aim to harmonise design with [{contactmatrix}](https://github.com/socialcontactdata/contactmatrix) (PR #366).
-* The minimum version of R required by the package is now 4.1.0 due to the use of the base R pipe (`|>`) in dependencies (PR #384).
+
+## Minor changes
+
+* The minimum version of R required by the package (3.6.0) is now explicitly tested on the R-CMD-check GitHub actions workflow (PR #404).
 
 ## Bug fixes
 

vignettes/design_principles.Rmd

@@ -117,18 +117,18 @@ if (!all(epiparameter_class_methods %in% groups$functions)) {
 }
 
 library(visNetwork)
-visNetwork(nodes, edges) |>
-  visNodes(font = list(size = 18)) |>
-  visGroups(groupname = "<epiparameter>", color = colours[1]) |>
-  visGroups(groupname = "Getters", color = colours[2]) |>
-  visGroups(groupname = "Modifiers", color = colours[3]) |>
+visNetwork(nodes, edges) %>%
+  visNodes(font = list(size = 18)) %>%
+  visGroups(groupname = "<epiparameter>", color = colours[1]) %>%
+  visGroups(groupname = "Getters", color = colours[2]) %>%
+  visGroups(groupname = "Modifiers", color = colours[3]) %>%
   visGroups(
     groupname = "Distribution functions",
     color = colours[4]
-  ) |>
-  visGroups(groupname = "Utilities", color = colours[5]) |>
-  visGroups(groupname = "Checkers", color = colours[6]) |>
-  visGroups(groupname = "Conversions", color = colours[7]) |>
+  ) %>%
+  visGroups(groupname = "Utilities", color = colours[5]) %>%
+  visGroups(groupname = "Checkers", color = colours[6]) %>%
+  visGroups(groupname = "Conversions", color = colours[7]) %>%
   visGroups(groupname = "Coercion", color = colours[8])
 ```
 
@@ -166,8 +166,6 @@ The aim is to restrict the number of dependencies to a minimal required set for
 
 [{jsonlite}](https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=jsonlite) is a suggested dependency because it is used to read the parameter library which is stored as a JSON file. However, it is only read by an internal function and instead the data is available to the user via `sysdata.rda`, so {jsonlite} is not required as an imported dependency.
 
-Currently {epiparameter} deviates from the [Epiverse policy on the number of previous R versions it supports](https://epiverse-trace.github.io/blueprints/dependencies.html#base-r-support-schedule). The {epiparameter} package requires R version >= 4.1.0 which only includes the current version and the last three minor R versions rather than the policy of four minor versions, as of September 2024. The reasons for this change is to enable usage of the base R pipe (`|>`).
-
 ## Contribute
 
 In addition to the [package contributing guide](https://github.com/epiverse-trace/.github/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md), please refer to the [{epiparameter} specific contributing guidelines for adding epidemiological parameter to the package library](https://epiverse-trace.github.io/epiparameter/articles/data_protocol.html#contributing-to-the-package).